Mr. I Don't Smile

08. the salad dilemma

08. the salad dilemma

Ciera

Everyone knew that nothing was more dangerous than a hungry teenage girl.

And while I was trying to walk to the parking lot during lunch, Genevieve stopped me. I just wanted to eat. Did no one understand that?

"Bonjour, Ciera," she said, her voice sounding a little too sugary for me.

"Um, hi, Genevieve. Did you need something?"

"I saw you and Theo on the beach the other day."

My eyebrows furrowed. "Okay?"

"It's just that he told me he would be with Rosalie, and when I'm walking by, I see him with you. I wonder why he lied."

"I don't know. Why don't you ask him?"

I could see the sigh leave her mouth. Was she expecting to scare me? "I will," she finally said. "But I'm warning you, stop trying to ruin my friendship with Theo."

This time I couldn't resist raising an eyebrow. "That's what you think I'm doing? Tearing you guys apart? Work out your problems with Theo yourself, Genevieve, and don't bring me into it. I have no interest in your friendship."

She nodded and I saw her face shift. "I'm sorry, Ciera. You're right. It's just that, Theo left France on a sour note with me and I want to fix it. And with the way he was avoiding me and spending an exceptional amount of time with you, I assumed you were the source of it."

"I understand." Maybe she wasn't the one who had sent the text. She seemed to understand they were just friends and wanted to fix their relationship. I still didn't like her as a person, but perhaps she wasn't as obsessed as I thought.

She looked around. "Do you know where Theo is now? I'd like to talk to him."

"Actually, he's going to lunch with me and my—"

"Then you wouldn't mind if I tagged along. Right?"

"Um, sure."

When Maddie, Casey, and Theo saw me walking to the car with Genevieve, they looked at me like I was insane. I felt insane. I should've just said no. It was probably the lack of food getting to me.

"Guys, Genevieve asked if she could come to lunch with us. And I couldn't just say no," I said, answering their unsaid question.

Casey clasped his hands together. "Well let's get going." Casey sat in the driver's seat, and Maddie sat upfront with him. Theo slid into the backseat next and Genevieve rushed behind him. So she was in the middle.

Great, I had to be next to her.

"Casey, just go somewhere with good food. I'm suffering from the debilitating case of extreme hunger," I whined.

Theo chuckled. "You're talking like being hungry is an actual emotion."

I gaped at him. "Don't ever try to tell me that hunger is not an emotion because I feel that shit in my soul."

Theo rolled his eyes at me and Genevieve decided to speak. "I don't know what you people are used to, but just make sure we go to a place that's not greasy or fast food. You may have heard, but I'm a model, and I've got to keep my figure."

"Maybe if you ran like your mouth did, you'd be in better shape," I mumbled under my breath. Maddie burst out in laughter and Genevieve glared at me.

Whoops. Said that louder than I thought.